Dianthus gratianopolitanus cultivar Pixie.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Dianthus plant, botanically known as Dianthus gratianopolitanus and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Pixiexe2x80x99.
The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Lincoln, Nebr. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Dianthus cultivars having compact plant habit, hardiness, good garden performance, and attractive flower coloration.
The new Dianthus originated from a self-pollination made by the Inventors in 1990, in Lincoln, Nebr., of the Dianthus cultivar Spotty, not patented. The new Dianthus was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated self-pollination grown in a controlled environment in Lincoln, Nebr. in 1990. The selection of this plant was based on its compact plant habit and attractive flower coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Dianthus by vegetative stem cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Lincoln, Nebr., since 1993, has shown that the unique features of this new Dianthus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Pixie has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength, light intensity, and water and nutritional status without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Pixiexe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Pixiexe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, mounded and low-growing plant habit.
2. Freely basal branching habit.
3. Blue green-colored foliage.
4. Numerous red purple-colored flowers with lighter red purple spots and lighter red purple margins.
5. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Spotty. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lincoln, Nebr., plants of the new Dianthus and the cultivar Spotty differed in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Dianthus had blue green-colored foliage whereas plants of the cultivar Spotty had gray green-colored foliage.
2. Plants of the new Dianthus had less pronounced spots on the flowers than plants of the cultivar Spotty.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus were red purple in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Spotty were red in color.
4. Plants of the new Dianthus were hardier than plants of the cultivar Spotty.
Plants of the new Dianthus can be compared to plants of the cultivar Painted Beauty, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lincoln, Nebr., plants of the new Dianthus and the cultivar Painted Beauty differed in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Dianthus had blue green-colored foliage whereas plants of the cultivar Painted Beauty had gray green-colored foliage.
2. Plants of the new Dianthus had less pronounced spots on the flowers than plants of the cultivar Painted Beauty.
3. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus were lighter in color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Painted Beauty.
Plants of the new Dianthus can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Frosty Fire, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Lincoln, Nebr., plants of the new Dianthus and the cultivar Frosty Fire differed in the following characteristics:
1. Petals of plants of the new Dianthus were more overlapping than petals of plants of the cultivar Frosty Fire.
2. Flowers of plants of the new Dianthus were red purple in color whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Frosty Fire were red in color.